coffee, candles, and blank pages- planning autumn reads

 

It's early in the morning. very early. The only thing on my mind is hot coffee + oat milk and ignoring today's responsibilities.

Alas, I'll march on and do what needs to be done, but in the meantime, I am going to journal deeply and read a few pages in Sense and Sensibility. I am rereading it before the new film adaptation next week. 

This Autumn I am of course reareading endlessly. When the sun doesn't come out, the appointments are plentiful, and it gets gloomy outside- I reread ALL my favorites.

This year, I do have a few "never been read before books" on my tbr, but we will ignore those for now

Upcoming in no particular order...

1. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy the GOAT
2. Sense and Sensibility (almost finished)
3. Within a Budding Grove by Proust (usually I reread Swann's Way in December, but I'm called to book 2, so that's the choice)
4. Jane Eyre- because would I even be me if  I didn't read this at least once a year?
5. Beloved- Toni Morrison's 1987 novel

Those are the rereads. There are so many other reads on my list AND I have a ton of work I'm doing for school. Seems like I need to turn off the late night K-dramas in favor of reading, but I'll let you know how that goes. 

I have a meeting tonight, my candle is lit and my tea is hot. 

As Fall comes sliding in, it will find me in cozy socks, sweaters, and with a stack of books next to me.

Happy reading. ☕️ 

books, plants, early mornings before autumn & reading superiority

messy and slow mornings

This time of year pulls at the heart to slow down, and pulls at me to re-read my favorites. I've been finding myself rewatching my favorite book/movie adaptations and drinking extra hot beverages although the temp is regularly 88+.

Sacrilegious temperatures aside, I've noted a trend happening online. So many judgmental videos being made about what/how other people read. I guess it's a product of what I call our "comparison culture", but it's gross all the same.

It should be perfectly okay whether someone binges audiobooks at 10x speed, or reads ONE Dostoevsky novel per season. This "right/wrong" dichotomy in the reading community is just gross. 

Treating reading an exercise in superiority is truly wild. We are all on ONE team. Team Read More Books and keep libraries alive.

It shouldn't matter what you read nor how often.

It shouldn't matter if you vlog, blog, photograph it or not.

It doesn't matter if you track it online or in a physical notebook like I do. 

There's truly enough division in the world without adding the division in the bookish community to that list. 

Although I'm writing about it here, I stay far far far away from debates on line with strangers. It's futile, useless, and not good a job way to spend my energy or time. But, I wanted to use my small, quiet space to remind anyone (if you even need reminding) that you're doing fine in your reading life.

Living great books is far better than bragging about them or using what you've read to compare to other people. 

I live myself between the chapters of great and moving novels. I literally can remember what was going on in my life based off of what I was reading during certain periods. This means that I don't have time to worry about what others think of how or why I read.

There are periods when I downloaded 4 cozy mystery audiobooks from the library to get through a weekend of intense. These books "kept me company" so to speak and I regret nothing! Sure, I can't remember all the characters or the real point, but who cares? I was entertained and accompanied for long hours in my storage unit reorganizing holiday decor.

Other times, I am hunkered down on my couch (customary) with a necklight (always ) while reading and re-reading passages from Brookner novels. Or more likely, I have a stack of 10-12 books at my bedside and I read a few pages from each. Who is going to tell me I'm wrong to read this way? And even if I did, I'll ignore them and my advice is that you ignore them too.

Consuming so much content about what others think, and how others do things, has gone way too far. It embeds tiny little fragments of how things are supposed  to be done inside of our heads and before long we are defending things that don't need to be defended, or participating in discussions about how others are doing things "incorrectly"

All of this to say, let your reading be a free liminal space.

Allow your reading life to be dictated by your current circumstances and to whatever is actually calling to you during this phase of your life.

The only thing that matters is that you feel called back to the page.

I'm rooting for you that your reading life will be what shapes your heart and calls to your soul.

I know mine is.

Happy reading ☕️ 

 

let september find me reading and resting

my autumn desktop

In an effort to consciously eliminate all pressure and stress from my life, I don't give myself lists of books I have to read, nor force myself to participate in any readathons/groups that don't really call to my soul. 

With that in mind, the end of the year is approaching. I don't ever have any set number of books to read for the year, or book goals, or anything like that. Reading is truly a wellness activity for me. It's less about what and how much I read, and more about making the time to read and how I feel when I read, reflect, and write about what I read.

Autumn is the second January.

A time that feels like a fresh start and a new beginning.

Personal curriculums are all the rage right now, and I am a huge fan of them. I do love formal education and spaces to share ideas with others and be strengthened and challenged, but making sure to stay focuse don what you most want to focus on is critical

In our idea consumption culture it's easy find yourself doing things without any reflection time on whether you actually want to do it or not. Do you really want to read the entire Booker Longlist, or does it seem popular and like what literary readers do? Do you really like following Fall readathons, or have you always wanted to read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre in the Fall?

My nudge is only for you to slow down, reflect, and decide what would make you the most satisfied come the end of the year.

i love this cover

For me, it's finding time to re-read Sense and Sensibility seeing as the new screen adaptation is coming out October 16... adding a 1/2 re-reading of Jane Eyre, a re-reading of something by Hardy (yet to decide) poetry by Hardy, reading more of the Letters of Gustave Flaubert, of course Anita Brookner, and so much more.

• Sense and Sensiblity
• Jane Eyre
• A Hardy novel
• Letters of Gustave Flaubert
• Proust

vegan gluten free sweet potato brownies

Of course for me Autumn means even more baking. New recipes that I create or mix-n-match that I find online. The scent of cinnamon in the air signifies extra cups of coffee and lots of slow living.

As I walk through towards the end of the first week of September, I'm taking with me a few things: my continued anti-AI stance, even if means I'm "left behind", a love of re-reading, a desire to work through a few of the unread books on my shelves, a new semester, and a true belief that reading, writing, and learning is the secret magic of a good life.

I hope you'll join me on a slow and easy September. Happy reading ☕️ 

autumn reading plans: fresh coffee, early reading nights, travel, book lists

My plans for Autumn are coming together quite organically. 

I recently traveled to the City and had a wonderful time filled with coffee and journaling. I was busy of course, but the pockets of quiet I found really filled my soul with ease and peace.

early cafe mornings

I've loved this year I've had with reading- all while being so immersed in caregiving, graduate school, baking, cooking, redecorating and so much more. I will save my deep reflections for an ever-long post about my yearly reading life and reflections, but for now let me say that the organic, natural, ebb and flow way that I'm approaching my reading life has been restorative and cathartic.

I have full intentions on starting a new Book channel in 2026 and it will reflect that very pace. Easy. Natural. Simple. 

I moved all of my digital reading life away from Goodreads well over a year ago and I tried to use The Storygraph, but I felt pulled away from my reading experience for some reason. 

There was no way not to see things like total books read, other people's opinions, and just all manner of things I wasn't interested in. It felt like a chore. One of those things that other people are doing. 

iced soy milk triple shot

Yes it was cold in the City and no I didn't care. I would rather a hot coffee, but if I can't be guaranteed the foam will be done well, I opt for iced. It's weird, but just the way I am. 

I didn't make my way to a bookstore, but I did spend a night walking and feeling quite literary as the Christmas lights and cool air gave way to nostalgic feelings of lighter times and warm holiday memories. 

There is nothing quite like walking in New York City at dusk during the Autumn season. I'll stake my stack of Penguin Black Spines on that.

organic light roast pour over (added soymilk)

I've always been an early riser, but the dark of this autumn feels more like rising in the dead of night. It lends itself to writing and having coffee in liminal space. It's been extra cold. Extra quiet. Extra slow. 

I've loved it. I have a new practice of reading one of the Letters of Gustave Flaubert. Not sure why I am working so slowly through this collection, because I absolutely love it, but I am not rushing any of my reading. 

I am reading... rereading passages...highlighting...researching... taking notes... pulling quotations out- all of the things that make my reading life immersive and deep.

book stack on one side table

So many stacks of books, so little time. 

Right now I can feel the pull of Swann's Way, which is really the pull of quiet, intense solitude which is home to my nostalgic heart calling me to peace.

I read all of In Search of Lost Time in 2022. All 7 volumes. I wonder if just reading volume one would meet that need? I keep the physical copy there to ponder that very question. I gave away my entire Penguin set to someone as a gift. I feel like I deserve a spot in heaven for that.

I will be blogging a lot more as December comes and a few big projects have wrapped up. My life is really busy and I have more weight on my shoulders than any one woman should have, but reading brings so much solace- so much peace, I feel it will be beneficial to share it here. It will also be healing for me as well. 

Off to relax on this Saturday night and wishing you a peaceful start to this holiday week. 

library digital books i've downloaded

I love my library. I love the library. I love free books.

This time of year calls for slowing down. 

Candles.

Extra cups of coffee.

Reflection.

I still watch a decent amount of BookTube, but I have always (and continue to struggle) with videos where people spoil books in their reviews. Unless I've already read the book, I have stopped watching reviews unless it's a trusted source who I know to be someone who discusses the themes and not the entire plot- if there is a plot.

I only get a few hoopla credits each month from my library, and of course Libby still reigns supreme; however, the 6 month wait on any worthy novel pushes me into the arms of the kobo.com store. 

I am definitely someone who feels comforted while scrolling through book titles and making lists of potential books to read. 

Autumn Simplicity

As a re-reading expert (self proclaimed of course), this time of year with it's rustling leaves and dark days, just calls me back to my physical and digital bookshelves to re-read my favorites of all time. 

My melancholic INFJ personality calls to the deep experience of a complex read that contains universal themes of human nature that are timeless.

My Autumn simple plans include evening with soy-wax candles, my kobo color, kindle (but don't get new books on this), and a stack of my favorite novels. All these and a physical stack of books.

Some may say this is a bit much, but it doesn't matter. It works for my soul. I have to read what calls to me. 

Recent Library Digital Acquisitions

really enjoying this so far

looking forward to this one next

I got this one as text from hoopla

I have this on audio from libby

literally forgot this was on hold

Tea and Slow Nights

This week I will be cutting off working on the computer, caregiving duties as best I can, and all house chores at an early hour.

There's always something else to be done. With that knowledge I will be sitting in my reading chair with my favorite tea, or decaf coffee, my stock of books and ereaders and tuning out this insane world. 

I invite you to join me. 

october reading plans: re-reads, cozy literature, copious coffee cups, and used books

 

October stockphoto

It's that time of year again where reareading calls to my soul. There is nothing like returning to the comfort of a story that touched your heart or made you think of the human condition in a new or different way.

 I can see the appeal of checking books off of your TBR, but haven't you ever been summoned by a previous read? This need to complete so many books has many deadened the draw to old works. I have no strong opinions about people who read 500 vs 5 books per year or anything like that, but I do feel like an evangelist trying to convert non-rereaders to my cause :)

Because I don't use Goodreads or Storygraph anymore (may return to Storygraph one day), I have no idea how many time I have reread certain books, but like weather patterns, they start to enter my consciousness at certain times of the year.

The Autumn with its whispering winds, and calls for piping hot cinnamon coffee are accompanied by the faint murmurs of Austen's most ignored work Northanger Abbey and Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece Jane Eyre.

These calls stand in union with Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights- a novel that so frustrates me I will spend a lifetime rereading it just to make sense of why it bothers me so much! 

This October... (The Reread Edition)

1. Jane Eyre
2. Wuthering Heights
3. Northanger Abbey
4. Lolita
5. Crime and Punishment* (if there is time and my mental health allows it)

This October...(The New Read Edition)

1. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
2. Altered States by Anita Brookner (returning to this project)
3. Apple in the Dark by Clarice Lispector
4. Ghost Mountain by Rónán Hession
5. Creep by Emma van Straaten 

a stack of my books

My advice for this Autumn 

Ignore that bookish social media urge to rush through novels to increase your total books read. Ignore the feelings of FOMO (if you have them) that everyone is reading this or that.

Slow down.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea, a journal, and a deep breath.

Plan what novels you believe will speak to your heart or ones that really really call out to you.

Reading doesn't have to be a religious experience for you like it is for me, but perhaps if you have had the inkling to reread something but fear you could be reading something new and it will be a waste to reread, quiet that voice down with the opening paragraph from your most beloved novel.

Let this crazy time in the world be soothed by the comfort of a story that you love. 

I know that's what my Fall reading is all about.

Join me. ☕️ 

November Autumn Reading Plans

This is the time of year I am the busiest and the sun rarely makes an appearance on the east coast for weeks at a time. sigh.

I usually start to re-read and begin to think about books that I planned to read at the beginning of the year.  I have a few classics that I would like to focus on, but in truth I may wind up rereading for comfort and the nights get longer.

I have been struggling with my daily tasks related to my full-time obligations, and when the nighttime rolls around, I only want to be comforted with entertainment. I'm fully burned out, and I can struggle with keeping only one book going at a time.

This means, I have a currently reading folder on my kindle that has about 9-15 books in it at a time and I can just bounce around between the books as my attention wanes. 

I can't blame social media for my attention shortage (unless you include YouTube) because it really relates to my burnout and inability to relax and focus. 

The books I've chosen satisfy me for each category my brain is looking to sink into. I only need to add a reread (most like Jane Eyre for the 2nd time this year) and a romance or cozy mystery for levity. 

Here's most of my start to the month:

Autumn Mid-day Physical Book Shopping + Haul

I am super cautious about which physical books I line my 2 small shelves with.

Today I stumbled into a BIPOC friendly, pro-LBGT woman owned bookstore and I KNEW the full price purchases would be money well spent.

Here's what I grabbed including a blind date with a book. I was so surprised by it and I LOVED it so much.

these gourds are so gorgeous

i never tire of mums

so beautiful

this came highly recommended

have you seen a more beautiful
cover?

love a good blind book date

the reveal! I am so excited!!!

has been on my tbr forever

the entire haul

I love my ereaders, but nothing feels as good as looking at a sharply covered hardback book.

Paperbacks that I can bend and toss are great, but for my shelves I prefer hardbacks. 

I am so excited about everything I have to read this Autumn and Winter. 

Happy reading!

Autumn Book Haul: I Regret Nothing

I always laugh a little when I watch or read people apologizing for buying lots of novels. 

Not this girl... Life is hard. My life is really really hard.

Insert books. Insert coffee. Insert comfy pajamas every chance I get.

Here's my Autumn book haul and I am probably NOT done :)

Happy reading!!! ☕️☕️☕️